According to the International Feng Shui Guild, the foundation of Feng Shui is harnessing chi, or life force energy. You can also use principles of Feng Shui to help deflect negative energy inside your office.
Chi moves in curved lines, mimicking a pleasant woodland stream. This movement allows chi to nurture its surroundings with a gentle, but steady, flow of life. This is balance and creates the most beneficial environment for people and nature to thrive. However, as modern technology has improved, most of our buildings, due to the precision of equipment and economics, are created as boxes with right angles.
Poison Arrows
When chi confronts objects with 90 degree angles, called poison arrows, it behaves in an unnatural and harmful way. For example, imagine that in your office there are walls that meet in a 90 degree-angle that protrudes intothe room (this is the opposite of a corner). While chi moves around the room in both directions, it eventually confronts this angle by meeting at the point and is forced with great velocity, outward from the corner. If your desk is in line with that force of energy, it can cause physical and emotional stress.
Poison arrows can also be created by large angular furniture, angles on square columns (a hazard in many large office spaces), and any large object that can appear threatening to your position (seated at your desk or in a conference room).
Solutions - First, you can re-locate your desk or chair so that a "poison arrow" is not confronting you. If you cannot move your desk, then look for ways to soften the hard edge, which will cause the energy to slow down. If you can't invest in rounding off the corner, plants are great "softeners". Either place a plant on the top of the furniture that hangs down onto the corner or a larger plant on the floor "blocking" the corner. For square columns, a solution is to paint the columns the same color as the walls so that they recede from sight.
Stagnant Chi
The opposite of the poison arrow is a corner. Stagnant chi can accumulate in the corners of offices. Take a walk around your office floor and notice each corner (ones that aren't individual offices with windows). Do these spaces tend to collect boxes, papers and unused electronic items? Are there cubicles there that are used? How are these employees performing?
Corners tend to drain energy and are often places where clutter accumulates. (If this is the case in your office, an interesting idea is to see what life aspiration this area represents on the "Bagua" – to be covered in another article "Feng Shui Bagua for Business".)
Solution - De-clutter and clean these areas. Bring in warmer lighting with a lamp or two.
Electromagnetic Fields
Offices are full of electrical equipment. Although necessary, they also create an overload of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and positive ions that can be harmful to your health, and at the very least, increase stress levels.
Solution - If you happen to sit next to the copiers and printers, try to place a few large, live plants between you and the offending equipment. The plants will help absorb some of the EMFs and also create a bit of a noise buffer. In your office space, you can add a natural Himalayan salt crystal lamp, which can help increase the amount of negative ions (which are good for your health) in your immediate atmosphere while creating a beautiful, soft warm glow.
Look for more articles on how to deflect negative energy, reduce stress and bring more balance to your workday!
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